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Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana
Stewardship
How can I repay the LORD for all the good done for me?
Psalms 116:12
Lives
of stewardship begin with an increased focus on prayer. We don't have to
schedule prayer into our lives; it becomes more natural to praise God, ask for
forgiveness, and ask for God's help and thank God for the daily blessings in our
lives. We are not ashamed to bless our food when we are out eating.
We pray for the lonely person we see walking down the street that we don't know.
We pray for a family we read about in the paper or saw on the news that just had
an unfortunate event in their lives and we pray daily for our families and for
our deceased relatives. We include God in all our daily thoughts, actions,
and plans.
Living a life of stewardship should be an everyday goal of everyone in the
parish and beyond this parish. It starts with prayer which takes us into
God's presence and prepares us to obey Him. Prayer softens our hearts and
changes us so we desire to give more of our time and talent to others in our
lives and parish. As we become more like Christ, we want to give more back
to the Church and to God as a "thank you" for the
richness in blessings that we have received.
How can I increase my prayer life? ● Attend daily Mass ● Pray the Rosary ● Bedtime prayer as a family ● Pray at meals ● Pray the Hail Mary ● Pray the Our Father ● Write a prayer and read daily ● Read the Bible ● Morning prayer ● Day-by-day devotional book ● Jesus, Mary and Joseph pray for (whatever you need or the needs of others) ● Stations of the Cross ● Vespers ● Scripture Study ● Join the Brotherhood of St. Ignatius ● Attend Christ Renews His Parish ● RCIA ● Small Christian Communities ● Legion of Mary ● First Friday Adoration Choir ● Whenever you realize God's presence or hand in your life, something as simple as saying "Thank You" at that moment ●
Stewardship of Time and Talent
Each
of us is unique.
Our talents and abilities, interests, personalities, likes and passions were
given to us by our Heavenly Father so that we may serve and minister to one
another as we build the Kingdom of God at The Cathedral of St. Mary of the
Immaculate Conception and in the community.
God intends for us to know and enjoy our gifts and to share them willingly. When we do so, we discover joy and peace in serving others. Some people say that when we sing, we pray twice. When we use the abilities that God has given us to serve and minister to others, we say "Thank You God" twice.
What are your gifts? Maybe
you're a good organizer, or you like to write, or you like to work with
children, or
perhaps you can compassionately listen to others in need.
Think about what you like to do and
what others say you're good
at. When ready, please check all areas that best apply. Also check
areas that you would like to learn about or become more experienced in.
There are many opportunities to share your gifts with your St. Mary parish family. To get involved, print out the Time and Talent Form, fill it out, and return it to the parish office or just drop it in the collection basket during Mass.
Sharing our treasure isn't simply about writing a check. It is about living fully as a Christian steward, in making a commitment to live out our baptismal promise. It is about sharing the gifts God has given us, and it's about our spiritual need to thank God for all we have.
God's gifts enrich our lives; our
stewardship enriches the lives of others. Each year at The Cathedral of
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, you have the opportunity to reflect upon
and re-evaluate your level of giving in light of your
commitment to your faith. Please consider giving generously. Your
weekly commitment is strictly confidential; it is between you and God. No
one from the parish will be calling you.
How much should I offer each week? A pledge of any amount is meaningful and appreciated. Consider a gift that is planned, proportionate, and sacrificial. Many parishioners make pledges between 3% and 10% of their annual gross income. For convenience, parishioners can have their weekly offering electronically submitted to St. Mary. Download and complete the form.
Prayerfully consider what is a sacrificial weekly gift for your family.
When planning your will, or if you have a special occasion such as an anniversary or memorial gift, please remember your parish. The Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception has established a Charitable Endowment Fund to provide financial support to future capital improvements. If you would like to learn more about how to leave a gift to St. Mary, please call the parish office.
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Oh Lord, giver of life and source of our freedom, we are reminded by the Psalmist that Yours is "the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it." We know that it is from Your hand that we have received all we have and are will be.
Gracious and loving God, we understand that You call us to be stewards of Your abundance, the caretakers of all You have entrusted to us. Help us always to use Your gifts wisely and teach us to share them generously.
May our faithful stewardship bear witness to the love of Christ in our lives. We pray with grateful hearts, in Jesus' name.
Amen |
Generous God,
Knowing that everything good comes from You,
Remind us to be constantly thankful for all You give us.
Help us to use those gifts to build up Your Kingdom.
Prompt us to share those gifts as generously as You want us to,
So that You will call us home as good and faithful stewards.
Amen. |
